How to Add Google Ads Conversion Tracking to Shopify via GTM

In the rapidly evolving world of eCommerce, tracking user interactions and conversions is paramount. One of the most effective ways to measure the success of your online marketing campaigns is through conversion tracking. Google Ads, a leading pay-per-click advertising platform, allows businesses to track the effectiveness of their ads through conversion tracking, providing valuable insights that can guide marketing strategies. When integrated with Shopify using Google Tag Manager (GTM), the process of setting up conversion tracking becomes considerably more streamlined and powerful.

In this blog post, we will guide you through the steps to set up Google Ads conversion tracking on your Shopify store using GTM, ensuring that you can effectively measure customer actions and optimize your ad performance.

Understanding the Importance of Conversion Tracking

Before diving into the technical details, it’s essential to understand why conversion tracking is crucial for your Shopify store. Conversion tracking helps businesses:

1. Measure Advertising ROI: By tracking conversions, you can determine the return on investment of your advertising campaigns and decide where to allocate your budget more effectively.
2. Optimize Campaigns: Understanding which ads drive conversions allows for better optimization strategies, including adjusting bids and refining targeting.
3. User Behavior Insights: Tracking user interactions provides insights into customer preferences and behaviors, which can refine product offerings and marketing strategies.
4. Attribution Modeling: Conversion tracking also helps in understanding the customer journey and the channels that contribute to sales, allowing for more precise attribution.

Prerequisites

Before we proceed with the setup, ensure that you have the following:

1. A Google Ads account with admin access.
2. A Google Tag Manager (GTM) account set up for your Shopify store.
3. Access to your Shopify store’s admin panel.

Step 1: Create a Conversion Action in Google Ads

To set up conversion tracking, you’ll first need to create a conversion action in your Google Ads account.

1. Log into your Google Ads Account: Navigate to the “Tools & Settings” menu (the wrench icon) in the upper right corner, and under “Measurement,” click on “Conversions.”
2. Create a New Conversion Action: Click the plus sign (+) to create a new conversion action.
3. Select Conversion Source: Choose “Website” as the source of the conversions.
4. Define Your Conversion: Fill in essential details:

• Conversion Name: Name your conversion action (e.g., “Purchase”).
• Value: Select “Use different values for each conversion” if you want to assign unique values based on the purchase amount.
• Count: Choose whether to count every conversion or one conversion per ad click.

1. Set Conversion Window: Define the duration after an ad interaction that should be counted for conversions.
2. Click “Create and Continue”: This will lead you to the “Install your tag” section. Choose the option “Use Google Tag Manager” for the installation method.
3. Save Your Conversion Action: After reviewing your settings, save the conversion action.

Step 2: Setting Up Google Tag Manager

Once you have your conversion action ready in Google Ads, it’s time to add this tracking to your Shopify store via Google Tag Manager.

1. Login to Google Tag Manager: Go to your GTM account dashboard.
2. Create a New Tag: Click on “Tags” in the left sidebar, then click “New.”
3. Choose Tag Type: Click on “Tag Configuration” and select “Google Ads Conversion Tracking.”
4. Enter Conversion ID and Label:

• Conversion ID: You’ll find this in the Google Ads conversion action setup screen.
• Conversion Label: This is also provided in the Google Ads conversion setup; it’s essential for tracking the specific conversion.

1. Set Up Trigger: Click on “Triggering” to set when this conversion tag will fire. For instance, if you want to track purchases:

• Select “Page View” as the trigger type.
• Configure it to fire on the “Thank You” page (this is typically the order confirmation page after a purchase). To set this up:
• Create a new trigger that fires on some pages and use the URL condition to specify when the trigger should fire (e.g., contains “thank-you”).

1. Save Your Tag: Name your tag appropriately (e.g., “Google Ads Purchase Conversion”) and save it.

Step 3: Testing Your Tag Setup

Before going live, it’s crucial to test your setup to ensure everything is working correctly.

1. Use GTM Preview Mode: Click on “Preview” in GTM to enter preview mode. This will open your store in a new tab with the GTM debug console at the bottom.
2. Trigger the Conversion Action: Complete a test transaction or navigate to your Thank You page to see if the conversion tag fires correctly.
3. Check the Debug Console: In the debug console, verify that your Google Ads conversion tag has fired when you reached the Thank You page.
4. Use Google Tag Assistant: If needed, download the Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension to further validate the implementation of your tags.

Step 4: Publish Your Changes

Having confirmed that your tags are firing correctly in preview mode:

1. Back in GTM: Click “Submit” on your GTM dashboard.
2. Add Version Name and Description: It’s helpful to note what you changed.
3. Publish Your Changes: Complete the submission process to publish the new tag configuration.

Step 5: Monitor Conversions in Google Ads

After a day or two of collecting data, monitor the conversions in your Google Ads account.

1. Navigate to Your Conversion Actions: Go to “Tools & Settings” > “Conversions” to see the data.
2. Analyze the Results: Check the number of conversions, values, and other metrics that will inform your advertising strategy moving forward.

Additional Tips for Success

1. Ensure GTM is Installed on Every Page of Your Shopify Store: This allows for proper tracking across all pages, including cart, product, and checkout pages.
2. Consider Other Conversion Actions: In addition to purchases, you might want to track other actions such as sign-ups for newsletters or lead inquiries. Create separate conversion actions for each.
3. Regularly Review Your Data: Monthly audits of your conversion data help ensure everything works smoothly and allows for adjustments when necessary.
4. Stay Updated: Google Ads and GTM regularly update their features. Keeping abreast of changes will ensure your tracking remains effective.

Conclusion

Setting up Google Ads conversion tracking on your Shopify store via Google Tag Manager is a fundamental step in optimizing your online advertising efforts. By utilizing this approach, you’ll gain valuable insights into your marketing strategies, allowing for better decision-making and increased ROI. With consistent monitoring and adjustments based on the data collected, you can enhance your advertising effectiveness and ultimately drive growth for your eCommerce business.

By meticulously following these steps, you’ll be empowered to take full advantage of your Google Ads campaigns, ensuring that every advertising dollar is seen as a valuable investment in your Shopify store’s journey towards success.